Senior Director, Design

At Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers® we serve only the best tasting and most craveable chicken finger meals. It’s our ONE LOVE®. Our Crew makes it happen, our Culture makes it unique, and the Community makes it all worthwhile.Every talented Crewmember in our Restaurant Support Office (RSO) is important to our success and a value to our rapidly growing company. We all work with a sense of purpose and focus on our chicken finger meals, Customers, Crew, Communities and Company Culture. We are constantly striving to Raise the Bar. The future for Raising Cane’s is growth focused and we’re on the path to being one of the top ten restaurant companies in the United States.Your Role at Raising Cane’s:The Senior Director of Design is responsible for managing the execution of design strategy by designing, developing, adapting, and deploying the design standards for restaurants. This role is tasked with developing multiple areas of expert knowledge in applying architecture, engineering, and interior design guidelines and protocols. This role is part of a team of internal and external design professionals who manage the complete restaurant design process through all phases.Your Impact and Responsibilities: Leads multi-disciplinary teams through collaboration and communication to effectively bring projects to full completion and achieve the best results Develops crewmembers through on-boarding, open communication, training & development opportunities, and performance management processes; builds and inspires crewmember morale and motivation; ensures the team is appropriately staffed with required competencies Manages internal workload during drawing reviews and quality control Authors RFPs, reviews contracts, hires, and manages outside consultants as needed Directs, organizes, develops, and manages global design standards, comprised of design guidelines, architecture and engineering standards, prototypical drawing sets, specifications, and technical data with the goal of maintaining consistent project quality and efficient communication within the team Reports on progress and uses analytics, lessons learned, and best practices from prior projects to continually improve design standards Demonstrates and applies knowledge of architectural details and technical specifications for ground-up construction, conversions, and tenant improvement projects Receives approved conceptual design and makes it “Rollout Ready” by standardizing design details, FF&E, and by releasing effective tools for implementation Works closely with vendors on shop drawings and incorporates into prototype template sets; work with facilities and procurement to set up vendors to execute projects at scale Develops and maintains base design drawings for all prototypical buildings used in the system Develops and maintains regional adaptations (high capacity, jurisdictional variations, cold climate, operational differences, etc.) Provides change management leadership to continually improve details in the prototype sets based on feedback from operations, construction, and facilities teams Strategizes the management of the release of quarterly updates to guidelines, scope of work documents, templates, drawings, specifications and cut sheets Contributes to department wide effort in value engineering new design concepts Proposes alternative materials, finishes, equipment, and furniture to drive down cost while maintaining overall design objective, long-term durability, and functionality Develops and implements certifications and training programs for all external consultants Identifies, evaluates, and onboards prototype master architect to lead efforts to develop and maintain base designs and regional adaptations Coordinates training and implementation of master drawing templates with internal crewmembers and external consultants Leads development of remodel program for existing portfolio of restaurants Executes individual remodel projects in collaboration with construction and operations teams Develops continuous improvement initiatives in operational capacity improvements, any strategy shifts in the business, and executive prioritiesRequirements for Success: 10+ years managing a team of direct reports, planning, prioritization and organizing team workflow 10+ years in Architecture, Design, Architectural Standards, or Project Management 5+ years managing construction plans and specifications for ground-up projects, conversions, and non-traditional venue projects Experience in restaurant or multi-unit retail industry Experience diagnosing and resolving complex issues and implementing strategies to resolve problems Proficiency in AutoCAD, InDesign, SketchUp and Photoshop Professional Licensure, Member of USGBC, LEED Accredited Professional Ability to deliver results under heavy pressure and deadlines Must have problem solving skills to remove obstacles, conflict resolution, mediation, and negotiation Ability to effectively lead cross-functional project teams, influence proactively with mutual respect, developing trust and develop strategic and tactical plans Must maintain confidential information and work with minimal supervision Bachelor’s degree in architecture, interior design, construction management, or related field required Ability to travel 20% for business purposes